The present invention relates to a method for storing and handling a roll of a paper machine, board machine, or finishing machine, in which method a special base is arranged for the roll, for moving the roll from its operating location to a roll store and/or to a means of transportation, or for storing the roll in the roll store. The invention also relates to a roll box for use in the method.
When a roll is removed from its operating location, it is generally stored on top of a base prepared for it. Usually, the roll is also secured on its base, so that the roll and the base can be moved together. When a roll is transported from the manufacturer to the operating location, and later from the operating location for servicing or renovation, structures are added around the base to form a box. Despite the box, however, the roll is subject to variations in temperature and humidity, so that the box can only be used during transportation. Even then, the roll suffers form variations in conditions, therefore an attempt is made to keep the roll in the box for as short a time as possible. This leads to a tight transport schedule and other special arrangements when handling the roll.
At the operating location, such as in a paper mill, there are generally spare rolls for the rolls being used in the machines. As the rolls used in paper machines, board machines, and finishing machines are large and heavy, a gantry crane is usually needed to move them. Spare rolls and other rolls that have been removed from their operating locations are stored in a special roll store, which usually has to be located close to the machine hall. This is because the roll store gantry crane transfers the roll to the machine hall gantry crane, which then moves it to the machine. A gantry crane or some other sufficiently powerful crane is also required to load the roll onto a truck. The hoists on trucks cannot handle large and heavy rolls.
A general drawback when handling and storing present-day rolls is the acquisition and maintenance of special stores and equipment. The rolls demand a special roll store, which must be dimensioned according to the most demanding roll. The temperature and humidity in the roll store must be constantly maintained at a suitable level for the roll. In practice, the roll store then becomes large, so that the maintenance of suitable conditions consumes a great deal of energy. In addition, the rolls can usually only be handled with a gantry crane, which is must correspondingly be dimensioned according to the largest roll. However, the capacity utilization of the gantry crane remains very low, as rolls are changed relatively seldom. The unsatisfactory final result is a large and warm roll store, with a massive gantry crane. The loading of roll boxes onto various means of transportation is also one of the problematic aspects of the state of the art.
The invention is intended to create a method, by means of which a roll of a paper machine, board machine, or finishing machine can be handled and stored more easily and with the aid of simpler equipment. In addition, the invention is intended to create a roll box for use in the method, which can be used continuously, for both roll transportation and storage, without needing special buildings and handling equipment. A method for storing and handling a roll of a paper machine, board machine, or finishing machine, in which method a special base is arranged for the roll, for moving the roll from its operating location to a roll store and/or to a means of transportation, or for storing the roll in the store, is characterized in that the base is made into a roll box, inside of which suitable heat and humidity conditions are arranged for the roll, which are maintained when using such a room or area as the roll store, in which the heat and humidity conditions are either poorly regulated or not regulated at all.
The roll box may be equipped with wheels and moveable by being pushed and/or pulled by a transport vehicle, such as a forklift truck.
The roll box, is intended to protect a roll during storage and transportation, and includes a base with a detachable or raisable cover fitted to it, and devices for securing the roll to the base. The roll box includes devices for maintaining suitable heat and humidity conditions in the roll box for the roll.
The equipment may include air-conditioning equipment and its monitoring and control equipment, and insulation fitted to the base and/or the cover and essentially covers the entire roll box.
The roll box may include support wheels at least one end of the base, the axis of rotation of which is arranged essentially transversely to the roll box, and connecting devices at the other end of the base to allow the roll box to be handled by a transport vehicle, such as a forklift truck. The support wheels may be arranged within the external dimensions of the roll box in the transverse direction. A second set of support wheels may be arranged, in addition to the connecting devices, at the aforesaid other end of the base. A power source and steering devices may be connected to the second set of support wheels.
The method may include equipment for identifying, positioning, and/or servicing the roll.
A method of storing one or more rolls for a paper machine, board machine, or finishing machine, includes:
containing each roll in a moveable carrier having an environmentally controllable interior;
storing said contained roll at a location in the vicinity of an operating location; and
transporting a said contained roll as needed to the operating location;
whereby said roll is stored without investment in a warehouse and a gantry crane. The roll box according to the invention forms not only a transport base, but also a storage space. In addition, the roll box can be handled using many different kinds of equipment, which are general equipment at the place of use of rolls. As they can be easily moved, the rolls need not be stored close to the machine, allowing the location of the roll store to be chosen freely. This also permits existing roll stores to be used more productively while the new stores need not be all in one place or heated. Each roll is stored in the roll box in suitable conditions. The roll box according to the invention s suits all roll-like objects, but especially large and fragile rolls. The roll box does not represent a large investment, because even at present transportation bases are made for most new rolls and, in many cases, paper mills additionally purchase a separate box for transporting the roll.